World Kidney Day 2017: 6 facts about dialysis that you should know

Kidney failure could lead to excess toxins in the body and that isn’t a good state to live with. While the best thing to do if your kidneys fail is to opt for a transplant, but at times some practical problems could make it little difficult, like availability of donors, the health of the patient or even the fear of rejection of the new kidney. This is when a patient needs to depend on dialysis for better health. However, there are a lot of misconceptions about dialysis among common people. Here, Dr Viswanath Billa, consultant nephrologist and kidney transplant physician, Zen Hospital, states some facts about dialysis that everybody should know. Here are things you need to know about kidney dialysis. Fact 1: Dialysis is not painful Many people believe that being hooked to a machine to get rid of the toxins is a painful affair. But in reality, dialysis is not a painful procedure. In fact, if you experience any pain the right thing to do is to check with your hospital staff what has gone wrong in the set-up. The dialysis technology in the past few decades have improved immensely and it serves to be a pain-free procedure for those who wish to go for it. In the initial days, when needles are poked to your fistula it might hurt but with time the pain subsides, and it gets better for the patients.  Here are five foods to help you recover from kidney disease. Fact 2: Dialysis patients are not always terminal Some people opt for it in case they don’t get a donor for transplant. Some opt for it due to sheer fear of organ rejection after a transplant. Not all patients are terminal. Most of them live a healthy life once the toxins are out of their systems. If they choose to be on dialysis, one can keep going for up to 25 years if the transplant is not viable. Here is how to know if you should go for a transplant or stay on dialysis. Fact 3: Dialysis can help one cope with struggles of daily life It is not true that patients on dialysis can’t go back to work, travel or lead a normal life like other people. However, to make things work in their favour, dialysis patients needs to follow their routine meticulously. Nobody can be on dialysis 24/7, neither is it necessary. But a routine of 12 hours a week could help a patient cope with the everyday struggles of life and get back to normalcy. This means four hours of dialysis thrice a week. If one slips from this schedule, this could lead to severe complications and deterioration of the organs. Fact 4: Dialysis doesn’t make one weak Once the toxins are removed from the system, it helps a patient to regain some strength and vigour. However, strict diet and fluid intake instructions need to be followed to help the body be on track and avoid complications due to compromised functions of the organ. Fact 5: Dialysis patients can choose for a transplant Being on dialysis doesn’t mean you need to be dependent on machines for the rest of your life. If one gets a donor and his health permits to undergo a transplant surgery, it is always advisable to go for the same. At times, it might get a bit tiring and frustrating to get hooked to the machines and be dot on time for the procedures. Image source: Shutterstock